The Department of English, in collaboration with Special Collections at the University Libraries, will host the 16th annual Milton Marathon on Friday, Nov. 22 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm at the UA Main Library, Room A313.

The all-day open mic reading of the great epic Paradise Lost, Milton's poem about the creation of the world and the fall of Adam and Eve, begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends when the last line has been read, approximately 8 p.m. Considered one of the greatest poems in the English language, the over 11,000 lines in Paradise Lost have inspired various aspects of modern culture including literature, music, art, film, voice recordings, and even computer games. Many of the various editions of the classic are available online in e-text editions.

The reading is free and open to the public. Attendees, who can come and go as they please, are encouraged to take a turn reading a passage in sequence or to take advantage of an opportunity to hear this poem, first printed in 1667, read aloud.

The Milton Marathon is supported by the College of Humanities, Marlys H. Witte, the W.W. Norton Publishing Company and the University Libraries.